Previewing the Big Three A new decade is opening and the golf industry is determined to make the soaring sixties seem only a prelude to the spectacular seventies. Each of the major associations—PGA, GCSAA and CMAA—will kick off the new year with annual conventions and shows that promise to be bigger and more informative than ever before. It will take two tents this year to hold the vast array of new equipment and apparel awaiting pros at the PGA Merchandise Show. A glance at the program for the GCSAA conference reveals that superintendents are becoming some of the most highly specialized and skilled individuals in the industry. And this year's CMAA conference goes beyond traditional concerns over member service to more complex problems of labor and insurance that all managers will be encountering in the future. On the following pages is an advance look at the three conventions to help make your attendance more rewarding and profitable. r. Hoffner's feet hurt him. That > was the beginning of the Professional Golfers' Assn.'s most successful merchandising promotion. Frank Mitchell and Gus Novotny also were tired of wandering around the clubhouse and the first tees and the 18th green of the PGA National GC at Dunedin, Fla. It was during the first of the PGA Seniors champions conducted at Dunedin that Bob Hoffner, veteran pro salesman, quickly discovered he could see many of his best customers and prospective buyers. So he got himself a bridge table and a chair, put them along the path under the big shady tree in front of the clubhouse and the pro shop, showed a few samples, opened his order book, and his store was in business. It was a grand hunch. Frank Mitchell, who had been selling to pros for a long time also got himself a table and a chair. Then Gus Novotny opened his bazaar. So Hoffner, sitting in the shade and giving his feet a chance to cool off, and his comrades with similar problems and hopes, created a valuable new service in pro golf merchandising. Frank Sprogell was everything—professional, manager, superintendent—of Dunedin then and saw that these pitch men were doing a good job for pros. So he put up a tent in back of the clubhouse, and the PGA Merchandise Show was born. One year it almost rained the show into the Gulf, but it simplified and extended pro buying. When PGA moved over into the empire of billionaire John MacArthur at Palm dens, Fla., the Merchandise Show came along as caboose. There a smart, imaginative pro, John- ny Vasco of the Lehigh (Pa.) GC, was appointed head of the show project. He and Ed Ficker of lequesta (Fla). CC got the show or- ganized as big business. And to check out how the show has flourished since, just head down to Palm Beach Gardens from January 24th through 27 th this year. —Herb Graff is Continued Illustrated by Art SuddutN GOLFDOM/ 1970 JANUARY • 43 and the X-444 four-wheel golf car energy which will fully and cor- with automotive wheel. Both rectly charge the batteries. models feature all steel frames Also available is the built-in and bodies and full wrap-around Charger in Ferro-Resonant or rubber bumpers. \lulti-Tap Paper Type designed for the customer's requirements. The following are highlights of the merchandise that various General Battery Corp., replace- ment battery manufacturers, in- manufacturers, distributors and Sit 'N Rest Golf, Inc., makes troduces car battery featuring a representatives will be exhibiting Cart-Bag, the combination golf red polypropylene dirt-resistant at the GCSAA show. cart and golf bag. Each model also cover. The companies appearing on comes in a deluxe version with the following pages are those two matching accessories. which have indicated to GOLFDOM Gould Inc., introduces a new that they will be at the show; it polypropylene battery in two does not, therefore, represent an sizes—180 A. H. and 220 A. H.. The Viking Corp. manufactures official exhibitors listing. An as- the two passenger Viking I and terisk * following a company's en- Viking II 36-volt electric golf cars. Harley-Davidson offers the golf- try indicates that specific details The Viking I, the Deluxe model, er a choice of electric or gas golf on its product lines were not features bucket type padded foam cars. Both types of cars have con- available by press time. seats, coil springs with shock ab- tour bucket seats and power re- sorbers, chromed arms, bag rack duction steering. The gasoline car and tiller. GOLF CARS, CARTS, has a two cycle, single cylinder, The Viking II features foam EQUIPMENT air cooled engine, fully automatic rubber seats and backs, coil forward and reverse power. The Club Car, Inc., introduces the springs front and rear with damp- electric car has a series wound, 35 four-wheel Caroche, an automo- ener, 14 gauge steel body with fi- volt dc drive motor, master drive tive type electric golf car. The berglass fender and bag well, forward and reverse power trans- Caroche is powered by a double chrome bag rack and tiller. reduction gear drive transmission. mission. The Caroche weighs 810 pounds and has a detachable four-bag at- Jarman Company's Bag Boy golf Westinghouse Electric Corp. tachment enabling it to hold up to cart comes in three models that offers electric golf cars in three- four people. feature wheels which fold down, and four-wheel models. The cars adjustable brackets and non-slip feature foam cushion seats, all- Columbia Car Corp. introduces straps, blue-steel cushion springs. steel construction and bolt-on re- the new Pargo Plus-2 Brake placeable panels, fully enclosed Package. Available on all 1969 Mars Industries, Inc. introduces drive train, automotive differen- Plus-2 three- and four-wheel golf the Buzz-A-Round one-man golf tial, 4 l/2hp series wound DC cars, the new disc brake system car. It is 73 inches long, 32 1/2 Westinghouse motor, steering eliminates noise, requires few ad- inches wide and 36 inches high wheel and foot-operated brake. justments and assures safe stop- (24 inches with tiller bar and bag pings. Optional equipment is an rack removed), and weighs 245 GOLF EQUIPMENT 4 automatic brake seat. pounds without batteries. Acushnet Sales Company offers Cushman Motors introduces the Maynard Sales International, a large selection of clubs, bags and Town & Fairway, a four-wheel Inc., offers its electronic golf cart accessories, balls and gloves, as golf car, which can double as a which follows you around the well as a new line of Titleist carry-all for packages or groceries course by means of a homing de- woods and irons. The woods are off the course. The rear end con- vice—actuated by a small trans- available in two models—standard verts to make an additional seat mitter carried in your pocket or medium deep face or shallow face. for two passengers. The Town & on your belt. Both models feature selected per- Fairway is available in both elec- simmon wood and the brass back tric and gasoline version. Motor Appliance Corp. intro- "power-thrust" insert. Wood duces the new MAC Super faces are individually filled by- E-Z-Go Car Div., Textron, Inc., Charger 1555T (36 volt) which hand to produce the four-way offers the X-440 three-wheel car measures the battery condition bulge. Each head is taper-reamed, with automotive or tiller steering and always replaces an amount of bonded and secured to the shaft with a headless screw. Sole plates Atlantic Products offers golf bags to one shaft that can withstand are designed with a locking fea- with five new pockets in the low- moisture and extreme tempera- ture to eliminate shifting at im- er section of the bag. ture without damage. Another pact. Titleist irons have square- Especially for the ladies is the new product is the Eyeline shaft toe design which facilitates align- Minipurse, a pocket that snaps designed of a solid special alloy ment of blade at right angle to onto the top cuff of the bag while from head to grip section which is line of flight. Sole grinding builds playing, then can be detached and said to ensure alignment, balance in correct lie and loft as well as carried by its own handle. Bags and control. correct face position at address. feature new, brighter colors. In the Finalist line, woods are Curly-Head Golf Company in- troduces its new model 8 putter, made of persimmon in a dark wal- All Star Pro Golf Company, designed with a hollow mallet nut finish with a black fiber insert Inc., offers two new clubs—the head style. The weight concen- and black and red fine line rubber R/R Plus 1 and the R/R Golden grips and irons with a blade Black Ram. The R/R Plus 1 has scored to USGA specifications and a lightweight steel step down contoured to give perfect line up shaft which reduces clubhead control. Right-hand clubs in alum- twist, maple heads with a dark inum or steel shaft; left-hand clubs mahogany finish, black border in steel shaft only. with deeptone red diamond shape The Titlette line for ladies fea- insert, contoured sole to increase playability and S-locked sole plate. The irons are stainless steel with wide flange bottoms, deep face scoring. The R/R Golden Black Ram comes in lightweight steel or alu- minum shaft. Woods have lami- nated moisture proof maple heads with a walnut finish. Two piece wide angle insert and contoured sole. The irons have a contoured tration plus a machined groove roll at base.